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Pleasant Hill Presbyterian
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In
November, 1825, this church, now located six miles east of Paris,
on the Louisiana road, was organized by Rev. Thomas Durfee, a
missionary, with James McGee, John McKarney, Margaret McKarney,
Elizabeth McKarney, Mary B. McKarney, Rosy Ann McKarney (all these
of one family), Mary Anil McGee and Marietta, a colored woman, as
the constituent members. Mrs. Rosy Ann (McKarney( Smith is the
only one of the above now living. John McKarney and James McGee
were the ruling elders. The membership now numbers 54. The present
church edifice was constructed in 1857; it is a frame and cost
$1,200.00. The first pastor, Rev. Alfred Wright, was succeeded by
George C. Wood, Thomas Eustace, A. C. McConnell, J. B. Poage, J.
P. Finley, H. P. S. Willis, William Wiley, W. H. Hicks, J. V.
Barks, T. B. Lunsford, N. Armstrong (from Canada), L. P. Bowers
and C. W. Humphreys, the present supply. Connected with the church
is a flourishing Sabbath-school, containing 30 pupils, the
superintendent being C. F. Richmond.
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On
a Sunday in November 1829 James and Mary Ann McGee John
Margaret Elizabeth, Mary B. and Rosy Ann McKamey and
Marietta ~a colored woman) met in a log cabin across the
river to the east and organized Pleasant Hill. Rev. Thomas
Durfee, a pioneer missionary was their leader and ordained
James McGee and John McKamey as ruling elders. These two
families were from the Providence Church in Mercer County,
Kentucky.
The
first church was a frame structure filled in with mud and
little sticks from bottom to top and boarded on the outside
with lumber hewn and split by hand. The inside was roughly
plastered. The roof was covered with clap board. The windows
were three on each side and were of small glass. The seats
were long benches of hewn pieces of timber with peg legs.
There was one door. The pulpit was a common small table. It
was heated by a fireplace. The church stood just east of the
present building, facing west. It was located about six
miles east of Paris, Mo. This old church was also used as a
school building, with school held during the summer months.
The
present building was built in l857. It is frame and cost
$l,000. Pleasant Hill is the "mother” of Paris,
Mexico and New Hope Presbyterian churches. Old
church records state that the present building was built by
William Smithey, Sr. and his nephew, William Franklin
Smithey, both born in Mercer County, Kentucky and members of
the Old providence Presbyterian Church. J. W. Porhain and
David Steele sawed the lumber for the church. Their mill was
just across the old Louisiana bridge. There were two
carpenters in the vicinity, William Smithey and a Mr.
Kilpatrick. They were also cabinet makers, making all kinds
of furniture and coffins.
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